<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>A Prize Catch by Silver_Shortage_in_Markarth</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29887521">A Prize Catch</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silver_Shortage_in_Markarth/pseuds/Silver_Shortage_in_Markarth'>Silver_Shortage_in_Markarth</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stardew Valley (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>December/December Relationship, F/M, Fishing, Old Age, Old People In Love, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 16:55:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,031</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29887521</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silver_Shortage_in_Markarth/pseuds/Silver_Shortage_in_Markarth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Willy expected a few things when he went onto the island to search for the farmer. </p><p>He didn't expect to fall in love.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Willy/Birdie (Stardew Valley)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Prize Catch</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Wait how old is Willy again</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was when the farmer hadn't returned with the other resort visitors that had bothered him.</p><p>When Haley realized her dear wife wasn't by her side, she lamented how she felt so stupid as to think she would return on her own (the farmer had an irritating tendency to have her head up in the clouds a bit too much). She then looked to Willy and requested (more like begged) that he go find her. </p><p>"I don't know the island well enough," was one of her reasons for not doing it herself. "And I want to go through all the pictures I took here." Willy tried not to pinch the bridge of his nose in exasperation. </p><p>"Will do, miss," he told her. Now, after telling one of the other visitors to keep an eye on everything, Willy was off venturing into the tropical landscape by himself. Unfortunately, it didn't take long before Willy found himself hopelessly lost among the palm and mahogany trees.</p><p>"Where'd ye go now, girly?!" He tried calling out to her, in the chance that she could hear him through the foliage somehow. Nothing. He called out again, with the same result. He grumbled to himself, "ye don't pop up out of here somewhere, I'm gonna be taking me dinghy and leaving ye out here to die." </p><p>He then shook his head in shame at what he just said. "Nah, I don't mean that. Yer wife would tan me hide something nasty. And I need the business anyway. Otherwise I may as well close up shop and-" </p><p>Willy kept muttering and thinking out loud as he continued on with his search. He actually stopped really paying attention, at least until he caught wind of a woman's voice.</p><p>He froze then, listening for a few seconds. She had quite the enchanting voice, who or whatever she was. So enchanted indeed was Willy, that he forgot all about searching for the farmer and followed the singing instead. </p><p>...</p><p>"Tra-la-la-la, not much today it seems~," Birdie sang out as she stared at the bobber on the end of her homemade fishing rod. She was never really one to write proper lyrics for anything, so she was ad-libbing it as she tried killing time. </p><p>"La-di-la-da-da, caught more fish in my dreams~. Ta-ta-ta-time, wasting my ta-ta-ta-time~. Su-su-su-slime, only caught su-su-su-slime~</p><p>Birdie then abruptly quit with her little ditty, having heard the rustling of bushes somewhere nearby. Pulling in her fishing rod, she then clutched it to herself and glanced wide-eyed behind her shoulder. </p><p>When a few seconds went by, her unannounced visitor introduced himself. </p><p>...</p><p>"Oh dear," Willy said when he realized the woman had stopped singing. "Now, don't ye clam up because 'o me presence, madam. I promise ye I mean no harm." To further the credibility, he took off his hat and pressed it against his chest. "It was just that I heard ye singing and couldn't help but look for ye."</p><p>Birdie remained in her protective stance, until she did relax and turned around to face Willy better. As she did, she set down her rod and made a big show of fluffing her long gray hair and straightening her dress. </p><p>"Well now, I never knew I still had it in me to charm a man," she told him before patting a spot next to her. "I hope there's more to me than a lovely singing voice."</p><p>"Now, I don't doubt that." Willy was all too happy to make himself comfortable, after putting his hat back on. "Best ye get on it and tell me about yer interests. Spare no detail, no matter how trivial ye may think it.</p><p>"Oh, now where are me manners? Folks on the mainland know me as Willy. What moniker have ye been bestowed with, madam?"</p><p>"I go by Birdie. Now then, my story that you request, my story you shall receive." </p><p>Birdie then proceeded to go on about her long, long life up until the present day. As Willy asked, she told him everything. She did notice a hint of disappointment flash across his face when she mentioned her pirate husband. </p><p>"Now don't fret," she said when leaning over and patting his thigh. "My husband has long since left this world, so I'm no longer spoken for. Whatever romantic endeavors you have, I may be willing to at least entertain them." </p><p>"Romantic endeavors, eh?" Willy looked about himself, before looking down at Birdie's fishing rod. "Well, I ain't exactly an expert in matters of intimacy and the like, but perhaps I may be able to impart me own fishing knowledge to ye."</p><p>He picked it up and looked it over, and then glanced at her. "That is, if ye permit it."</p><p>Birdie smiled, which was reciprocated by the old man. "Well now, I would be honored." </p><p>At the end of the afternoon, Willy had taught Birdie how to make the best types of bait. In return, Birdie told him all the ideal materials to make a fishing rod on the spot. </p><p>"Hrmmm," Willy groaned as he saw the sky darken, and got to his feet. "I suppose I must be off. The folks on me ship can't be too pleased with how long I'm taking with me errand. </p><p>"I do wish to spend more time with ye, however. Perhaps I come back tomorrow, and continue on with sharing knowledge, eh?"</p><p>Birdie stood up as well, and grinned warmly. "Well now, I'll be looking forward to your arrival, then. Not often I encounter one as passionate about fishing as you." </p><p>She then leaned in and gave Willy a peck on the cheek, much to his surprise. It was with a red face that he departed, waving to Birdie as he went. Birdie kept smiling as she reciprocated his farewell. </p><p>It wasn't until he'd gotten halfway to his boat, that Willy recalled why he'd gone out in the first place. </p><p>In a panic, he went off into another part of the island to go look for the farmer, like he was supposed to. </p><p>Now he needed to think up a good story for why he took so long to find her. That wasn't going to be too fun. </p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>